Search Results
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 10:20 pm, May 26th, 2023Do you think Labour should take that policy into the election?
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 1:21 pm, May 26th, 2023This time it's the threat of privatising the Conservation Estate or Maori co-governance of public assets – both cannot be true can they? Co-governance is a trojan horse. The most cursory examination of what is being openly said is that the goal is to ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 1:07 pm, May 26th, 2023I am quite aware that govt Budgets are subject to arcane, complex and intentionally confounding processes - but ultimately it is a political decision to starve DoC of funds.
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 12:49 pm, May 26th, 2023Well that is well and good, but senior public servants do not write emails saying this when things are normal: Following last week’s budget, alarm bells have been rung by the Department of Conservation. Just after 5pm on Wednesday, Deputy Director-General ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 12:31 pm, May 26th, 2023Ring fencing funds is an entirely political decision. Clearly the original justification for the fund - a make work scheme under supposedly emergency conditions - is now well passed. If the "Jobs for Nature" funds are not spent, no-one piles up a stack of ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 12:08 pm, May 26th, 2023Tarn Ridge is not 'isolated' - it has long been a well used, important point of safety for three decades. As I said when I was there in 2011 and it was 20yrs old it was perfectly fine - and was absolutely instrumental in saving my life on that occasion. ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 11:41 am, May 26th, 2023Why should this Jobs for Nature scheme be immune to scrutiny? It was a lot of ding that has clearly come at a cost to DoC who are in principle the long-term manager of the estate. Or maybe some Ministers in this govt are happy to see them fail.
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 11:32 am, May 26th, 2023Well at least we both agree DoC has been chronically underfunded by a series of govts - except I would say under Helen Clark whose well known love for our outdoors might well have made a difference. But the evidence is there that under this Labour govt ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 11:19 am, May 26th, 2023Yes. This is a long standing challenge - the interface between well-meaning people wanting to do the right thing and a govt department that has legal and public accountability is naturally full of tensions. I can have some understanding for DoC - imagine ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 11:02 am, May 26th, 2023I would agree with much of this. DoC have always been a bit of a Cinderella Dept. So the concept of national parks, of ecological reserves, empty spaces ete, the Conservation estate, the lungs of NZ's world, is not known or appreciated. The same cannot be ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 10:55 am, May 26th, 2023The new hut in 2003 indicates an extension of provision while Clark was PM and United was a support partner. My bad - I misread an entry on Hutbagger - the actual date was 1993. By contrast similarly exposed Blue Range - the two huts are almost within ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 10:29 am, May 26th, 2023Well if you had been reading the thread - the quote above mentions Kelvin Davis for one. Of course we could speculate on the context , but the underlying hostility seems plain enough.
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 10:25 am, May 26th, 2023It's likely a lot of the huts came from the community in the first place. There are about 1880 backcountry huts in the NZ of which DoC manage 1073: https://hutbagger.co.nz/?doc=true They have a diverse history originating over time from within tramping and...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 9:56 am, May 26th, 2023DoC's engagement with conservation and maintenance oriented communities has been a bit hit and miss. For the most part local staff seem to have been very receptive - but Head Office syndrome seems to be the handbrake all too often. So yes it makes sense ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 9:40 am, May 26th, 2023Read the article. In the leaked email Tully stated, “In summary, it did not paint the desired picture we might have hoped for. To be transparent, the initial view shows that we do not have sufficient funding to cover our basic running costs.” “There is now...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 9:28 am, May 26th, 2023Yes. It took medicine about 300 years to properly recognise the impact of Vitamin C in eliminating scurvy. These days the pace seems only a little quicker.
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 9:23 am, May 26th, 2023Do you have an argument? Or just a 'shoot the messenger'? Is the quoted article wrong in any fashion? Is DoC funding actually increasing? And given the Maori caucus's obviously cosy relationship with TMP - is there any doubt that the plan to privatise the ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/05/2023
Date published: 8:53 am, May 26th, 2023Crammer's piece on the defunding of DoC is a fucker: Following last week’s budget, alarm bells have been rung by the Department of Conservation. Just after 5pm on Wednesday, Deputy Director-General for Operations, Mike Tully, sent an email to senior staff ...
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Comment:Open mike 25/05/2023
Date published: 11:00 am, May 25th, 2023One of New Zealand's structural economic problems, going back since forever, has been a chronically weak capital formation. It's has a long and complex history - and our failure to address this lies at the root of so many of the problems NZ now faces.
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Comment:Open mike 23/05/2023
Date published: 12:38 pm, May 23rd, 2023Apparently they've already conducted a referendum in this new People's Republic - and 102% of the voters want to become Australians.
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Comment:Open mike 23/05/2023
Date published: 12:15 pm, May 23rd, 2023Yes - it will either prove to be a brave folly, or it could be one of those small events that triggers massive consequences.
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Comment:Open mike 23/05/2023
Date published: 11:49 am, May 23rd, 2023I think the term you are looking for is 'little green men'.
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Comment:Government announces project that will significantly reduce coal consumption
Date published: 10:54 am, May 23rd, 2023Just why would acknowledging that total global carbon matters be so difficult for you? Because in 2022 China built two new coal burning power plants per fucking week. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160441919/china-is-building-six-times-more-new-coal-...
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Comment:The real coalition of chaos
Date published: 10:08 am, May 23rd, 2023Most people would probably give an answer based not so much on an absolute comparison on crime stats with other countries - but a relative comparison over time in their own communities, Which is what after all matters to most people. The question they're ...
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Comment:Government announces project that will significantly reduce coal consumption
Date published: 9:53 am, May 23rd, 2023Well that leaves everyone floundering.
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Comment:Our heat battery in the oceans
Date published: 9:51 am, May 23rd, 2023I look back with nothing but gratitude and respect for all the really interesting people I have been privileged to either meet or work with along the way. All that is happening here is that I'm a little more willing to be open about my life than most ...
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Comment:Government announces project that will significantly reduce coal consumption
Date published: 9:14 am, May 23rd, 2023Exactly what are you referring to as a 'red herring'? And are you arguing that somehow total global carbon does not matter? That somehow only the emissions from New Zealand are worth discussing?
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Comment:Government announces project that will significantly reduce coal consumption
Date published: 11:01 pm, May 22nd, 2023@Incognito I believe targets based on Carbon footprints/capita are the wrong measurement because it is trivial to achieve if you simply revert to pre-Industrial zero carbon economies and the mass poverty that physics imposes on this. The correct ...
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Comment:What Do The Maori Party Want Anyway?
Date published: 4:19 pm, May 22nd, 2023After 7 decades of the US Navy paying for everyone else shipping security - I think a lot of nations are going to soon discover the price of what they've been taking so blissfully (and often resentfully) for granted.
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Comment:How come government doesn’t improve our economy?
Date published: 12:12 pm, May 22nd, 2023Good analysis. And alongside the ICT sector is a thriving world class OT (Operations Tech) sector as well. These are the guys doing what most people think of as Industrial Automation and NZ has been doing well enough at it since sometime in the 80's. ...
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Comment:Government announces project that will significantly reduce coal consumption
Date published: 11:23 am, May 22nd, 2023Agreed. Direct hydrogen conversion is the path forward for steel. A lot of work is going on in Australia to produce enough clean hydrogen to support this.
- Essay competition winner might opt for the money and surrender the bag – but that would be to esch...
As the general election approaches, the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of New Zealand has organised an essay competition to to foster democracy. Secondary school students are being challenged to identify the important elements of a successful democracy, explain their value and consider whether they can be improved ...1 week ago - Six things that mattered this week, plus my Sunday reads
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: For paying subscribers, here's my pick of the week’s top six news developments, quotes and charts of the week with my personal reflections, plus my suggestions for Sunday reading and listening. There’s also one fun thing. In summary this week, my six takeaways were:Christopher ...1 week ago - The Persistence Of Racism: Is the Anti-Racist Cause Winning or Losing?
With Open Arms: Is it at all reasonable to suppose that a colonial society in which whites traditionally occupied all the upper rungs of the ethnic hierarchy, and where the colonised were relegated to the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, will respond positively to a concerted indigenous push from below, ...1 week ago - Webworm Wins “Best Team Investigation” at Voyagers
Hi,Just a quick online-only update that Webworm won “Best Team Investigation” last night at the Voyagers.This means a lot, especially considering we were up against giant newsrooms like Stuff and TVNZ:WINNER: David Farrier and Hayden Donnell | Webworm – The Downward Spiral of Arise ChurchJUDGES: Alan Sunderland and Ali Ikram“This ...1 week ago - The Florida of the South Pacific.
May 28, 2025.Ladies and gentlemen. It’s a beautiful clear morning here in Auckland City. We’re heading for a maximum temperature of 14 degrees, and the local time is now 10:30am. Please remain seated if you’d like to, or get up and walk around the plane if you prefer. New regulations ...1 week ago - Chose doing good things over doing nothing
Somebody has made a new survey and it tells us this little waterlogged nation of ours is rocketing up the misery charts. Maybe they took it before the sun came back out.Or maybe they took it any time in the last two years. Because negativity is quite surely the new ...1 week ago - Thanks for the news about the UNESCO appointment, but has the new chair already taken up her job?The appointment of Elizabeth Longworth as Chair of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO was one of just two press statements on the government’s official website today. Perhaps that’s because ministers have been busy preparing speeches for the Labour Party faithful who have gathered in Wellington for the party’s ...1 week ago
- THOMAS CRANMER: Department of Conservation hit by funding crisis
Alarm bells have been rung by the department after its Deputy Director-General for Operations warns, ‘the initial view shows that we do not have sufficient funding to cover our basic running costs’. Thomas Cranmer writes – Following last week’s budget, alarm bells have been rung by the Department ...1 week ago - The Hoon: Luxon vs density; Budget 2023’s political fallout; the RBNZ’s dovish hike; and Five Ey...Luxon went after the NIMBY vote, declaring National’s 2021 bipartisan deal with Labour to make it much easier to put three townhouses on a regular section ‘wrong’. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: The week’s news in Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for subscribers included:The Labour ...1 week ago
- Kiwi Chris the Robot Politician and other misunderstandings
Hello! This is the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the week.Here’s what you may have missed.Last Sunday’s column was about the budget A big chunk of this year’s budget coverage was brought to us by the words crass, gauche and venal. The big questions ...1 week ago - A Weekend of Recommendations, a Surfeit of Skunks, and a Gaggle of Wonderful Worms
Hi,Usually Webworms are quite focussed — this one is the opposite. No rhyme or reason. A bit like my brain: sometimes ultra-focussed, other times utterly unable to settle on a goddamn thing. And as we head into the weekend, there are a bunch of things buzzing around in my head ...1 week ago - MICHAEL BASSETT: Mainstream Media and economic commentaryThe Mainstream Media, and especially the New Zealand Herald, regularly carry misinformed columns on the causes of the country’s low-grade economic performance over recent years. One old codger, John Gascoigne, who describes himself as “a Cambridge-based economic commentator” (not the university, alas!) correctly told us early this week that New ...1 week ago
- The Economic Runup to the Election.
The Treasury released its budget economic forecasts. What do they say about the economy over the next four months?Let me begin me with an irritation. One post-budget headline was ‘Treasury optimistic over recession risk in Budget 2023'. Treasury being optimistic is almost an oxymoron. They fire down the centre.It is ...1 week ago - Jump onto the weekly hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm
1 week ago - There are no tires on the current leader of the National Party
1. Who most likely gave LOTO Luxon the idea to pull the rug on the urban density policy?a. A leading thinker on affordable housing b. A leading thinker on 15 minute cities c. A leading thinker on sustainable urban planning d. National-Party-supporting property developers2 . With what was this illustration made?a. Artificial inseminationb. ...1 week ago - The latest $314.4m. of spending announcements include goodies to recognise tourist-sector bosses who...Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order tallied $314.4 million of spending in the latest ministerial statements posted on the government’s official website. This includes a lump of money to – yes, really – help identify businesses in tourism and hospitality which treat their staffs well and to fund the ...1 week ago
- Ask Me Anything about the week to May 26
It’s that time of the week for an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session for paying subscribers about the week that was for an hour from midday (my apologies for the late start today), including:the Government’s payment of $130 million of Climate Emergency Fund money to NZ Steel to help it cut ...1 week ago - NZ Politics Daily: 26 May 2023
1NEWS KANTAR POLL Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Poll: ‘If the Greens can’t get it together, the left will be in opposition’ Felix Desmarais (1News): Poll: National, ACT have numbers to govern, Luxon lags in preferred PM Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Disastrous’: Greens on possible National-ACT coalition Claire Trevett (Herald): Whether the poll ...1 week ago - National Sorry Day.
Today in Australia it is National Sorry Day, where our cousins across the Tasman reflect on how Aborigines have been treated since Europeans arrived.An event held annually in Australia on 26 May, commemorating the Stolen Generations. It is part of the ongoing efforts towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.A ...1 week ago - Dawn Chorus: National/Act edge aheadNational/ACT would have 62 seats in a 120 seat Parliament if the latest poll results were replicated in the October election, but micro-movements around the median and the size of Te Pāti Māori’s caucus will decide who governs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National/ACT could govern alone after October ...1 week ago
- Weekly Roundup 26-May-2023
Welcome to Friday – again! Hard to believe we’re almost in June. Here’s our latest roundup of stories that caught our eye this week. The Week in Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt covered the transport highlights from this year’s Budget. On Tuesday, Matt asked if the end is ...1 week ago - Reserve Bank governor in good company
What should one make of the Reserve Bank Governor’s extraordinary donation of a hostage to fortune in forecasting an end to interest rate hikes? Conspiracy theorists will be scratching their tinfoil hats and mumbling about positioning for a whacking great payoff on being forced out by a new government. ...1 week ago - Our Maori Future.1 week ago
- Too close to call
National will be buoyed, and Labour possibly slightly depressed after last night’s One News Kantar poll. National and ACT on 48 per cent with 62 seats between them, enough to form a Government. Meanwhile, Labour was down one per cent to 35, and the Greens dropped four per cent ...1 week ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #21 2023
105 articles in 60 journals by 644 contributing authors Physical science of climate change, effects A Possible Hysteresis in the Arctic Ocean due to Release of Subsurface Heat during Sea Ice Retreat, Beer et al., Journal of Physical Oceanography 10.1175/jpo-d-22-0131.1 Connections between Upper Tropospheric and Lower Stratospheric Circulation Responses to ...1 week ago - Plenty to ponder on economy: while OCR stance softens, a widening current account deficit threatens ...
It’s been an eventful week for the New Zealand economy. On one side, the Reserve Bank was seen as putting the brakes on the Official Cash Rate, with a 25 basis points increase heralded as good news for mortgage-holders. On another, NZ’s record current account deficit is seen as posing ...1 week ago - Luxon kills the hopes of Townhouse NationLuxon told voters in Birkenhead yesterday that the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) that his deputy Nicola Willis shaped with Labour Housing Minister Megan Woods in 2021 were a mistake. File photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: National Leader Christopher Luxon looks set to abandon within weeks the ...1 week ago
- We don't need another Zero
I have already found four different reasons today to walk down into the village, enjoy the blue sky and belated Autumn sun and put off writing, again, about the leader of the opposition. But here it comes anyway, because this guy —this policy dimwit on issues ranging from universality to ...1 week ago - Labour lectures rather than acts
Yesterday EECA launched its usual winter energy-saving campaign. Normally this is aimed at reducing energy usage, to reduce the risk of a blackout. If successful, it also reduces spot-market prices, so also reducing whining at the government from big corporate users. But this year, someone had the brilliant idea of ...1 week ago - Media Link: “A View from Afar:” Is Putin a dead man walking?
In the second episode of our podcast this year, Selwyn Manning and I discuss the stability and near-term future prospects for Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia. All is not well. ...1 week ago - THOMAS CRANMER: The state of Stuff – media ownership and transparency under scrutinyYesterday marked the third anniversary of Sinead Boucher’s acquisition of Stuff but questions still remain unanswered about the media group’s governance structure and the identity of its backers. Thomas Cranmer writes – As the general election looms, the media will play an increasingly critical role in presenting ...1 week ago
- Past Budget spending shows up as Bushmasters arrive – and govt will hope to make a bang with $8m f...Buzz from the Beehive Budget 2023 continues to provide grist for the mills of ministerial spin doctors charged with drawing favourable attention to the government’s largesse. Goodies generated by Defence appropriations in budgets past are winning headlines today, too. Defence Minister Andrew Little has been enthusing about the arrival of ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on America’s plunge into religious extremismYikes. If either Donald Trump or Florida governor Ron De Santis win next year’s presidential contest with Joe Biden, the commander-in-chief of the world’s greatest nuclear arsenal will be beholden to millions of voters who expect Armageddon to occur during their lifetimes. Unfortunately, the Republican Party is being led by ...1 week ago
- Hurrell’s message to Fonterra’s shareholders should also be encouraging to those who chart NZ’...It’s been a hard season for New Zealand’s dairy farmers, on which the country’s export economy so heavily depends, but the big co-op Fonterra has delivered a cheering message to the cowsheds this week. The news on the payout for the season just ending may not be so cheerful, ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 25 May 2023ECONOMY, BUDGET, TAX Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Welcome to the age of the Bleurghget (paywalled) Luke Malpass (Post0: Adrian Orr and his committee give Grant Robertson’s Budget a pass mark (paywalled) Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): Hipkins crowds Luxon’s post-budget space (paywalled) Richard Harman (Politik): Orr v Willis; a credibility battle (paywalled) Mark Quinlivan and Rachel Sadler ...2 weeks ago
- Spring wildfires in the eastern US got off to a roaring start this yearThis story by Katie Myers was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Spring fire season is a regular occurrence in the eastern U.S. It’s not nearly as dramatic as what’s seen ...2 weeks ago
- CRL Delay Implications for Other ProjectsBack in March we learnt about the change in cost and timeline for the City Rail Link. An article in the Herald the other day brought the issue of the timeline back up again Auckland’s $5.5 billion City Rail Link (CRL) will not open until sometime in 2026 or later, ...2 weeks ago
- 'We Will Restore Law & Order'
If I asked you what was likely to be on the news tonight what would you say?Something about the cost of living, could be. Or the war in the Ukraine, probably. A report of terrible weather on the way - yeah, that’s a good bet too. How about one on ...2 weeks ago - Orr v Willis; a credibility battleReserve Bank Governor and the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee yesterday ended up at odds with National’s Finance spokesperson, Nicola Willis, over whether the Budget was inflationary. Willis said it was. The exchange is looking like a significant test of Willis’s economic credibility. The MPS statement and the Governor’s media ...2 weeks ago
- Go to Galatea, if you want to differ from other schools and be inspired by a celebrated Dutch artistA bit of googling was necessary to find out about Galatea School – Te Kura o Kuhawaea. Its website says it is a small rural school, opened in 1935 and nestled under the Te Urewera Ranges, opened in 1935, among lush green dairy farms and beside various forest plantations. It ...2 weeks ago
- Letter of apology from Zoo Miami
On behalf of everyone at Zoo Miami, please accept our most sincere apology to the New Zealand National Party of New Zealand and the proud people of the LinkedIn tribe. It stunned us all to learn that Kiwi Chris the Robot Politician was in fact an actual person.This was not at ...2 weeks ago - Letter of apology from Zoo MiamiOn behalf of everyone at Zoo Miami, please accept our most sincere apology to the New Zealand National Party of New Zealand and the proud people of the LinkedIn tribe. It stunned us all to learn that Kiwi Chris the Robot Politician was in fact an actual person.This was not at ...2 weeks ago
- Still rottenIn the early 2000's, we learned that the New Zealand Police had covered up rape and sexual assault by police officers, because the criminals were their own, part of the gang. The resulting scandal led to prosecutions, sackings, a commission of inquiry, and a promise by police to change. But ...2 weeks ago
- Dogs decision delayed – but the horse-racing industry looks like a good bet (at least for now) aft...Buzz from the Beehive Money was profusely flowing or generously being committed in a raft of ministerial announcements and speeches over the past 24 hours. If we tallied all the dollar signs in all the new press statements on the government’s official website, billions would be involved. But in some ...2 weeks ago
- Recycle the ETS cash++ into emissions cuts here
A much better alternative than cash in consumers’ pockets would be emissions-reducing vouchers or spending that effectively ‘buys’ even more emissions reductions through, for example, bigger discounts on public transport and electric bikes, solar panel installation vouchers and discounted energy-efficient appliances and lights. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / T… ...2 weeks ago - The Great Donkey Special.
Hi all,I’ve been getting lots of nice feedback about my newsletter from yesterday, Laughing with Donkeys. Which is nice, but feels a bit sad considering most people can only read the first part of it. I was particularly keen to share the end of Jacinda’s WHO speech as it summed ...2 weeks ago - NZ Politics Daily: 24 May 2023ELECTION, PARLIAMENT Andrea Vance (Stuff): National using AI for attack ads: The AI political campaign has arrived Jenna Lynch (Newshub): National uses realistic-looking AI-generated health workers, scared woman to front attack ads Herald: National Party uses AI in attack ads: Christopher Luxon ‘not aware’ Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National leader Christopher ...2 weeks ago
- Miami Zoo Says it Will Immediately Stop Deranged Treatment of its Kiwi Bird
Hi,I’ve been on the phone to Miami all morning. After a bunch of emails overnight, I called Miami Zoo’s media department first thing, who told me I needed to talk to the mayor of Miami. Apparently “big” zoo business was dealt with by the mayor. So I called the City ...2 weeks ago - At a glance – Global cooling – is global warming still happening?On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...2 weeks ago
- Feeding that dark flame in men
2 weeks ago - Working from home and the paucity of GDPPaul Krugman's column today talks about the economics of increased working from home. The primary benefit? People don't have to waste a huge portion of their lives commuting. And while this is difficult to quantify, the impact is huge: it’s not hard to make the case that the overall ...2 weeks ago
- THOMAS CRANMER: New Zealand’s Thin Blue LineThe Parliament Protests and the Posie Parker Rally have exposed the extent to which the Police frontline is under-resourced and under-funded. Thomas Cranmer writes – Soaring levels of crime and high profile protests at Parliament and the Posie Parker rally have made policing a political hot topic ...2 weeks ago
- Rachel Brooking hates waste – and she wants us to know about a $20m trough (funded by levies) to h...Buzz from the Beehive It was tempting – for a moment – to suggest Rachel Brooking become an Associate Minister of Finance to keep Grant Robertson on the straight and narrow. The temptation was triggered by Brooking’s speech (as Associate Minister for the Environment) to the WasteMINZ conference in Hamilton, ...2 weeks ago
- Why Budget 2023 is more austere than it appearsIf net migration keeps pounding along at a rate of over 100,000 per year the implications for the economy, residential land prices, interest rates and Government borrowing will be profound. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Stronger-than-forecast net migration and population growth looks set to make Labour’s last Budget before ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 23 May 2023CLIMATE CHANGE, NZ STEEL DEAL Simon Wilson (Herald): Christopher Luxon gets it right and terribly wrong on NZ Steel deal (paywalled) Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Why did we give $140m to a shady Australian corporate? Because we had no choice Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): The NZ Steel carbon deal: shape of things to ...2 weeks ago
- The end in sight for bus disruption?It’s been a tough year for public transport users who have had to suffer through thousands of service cancellations, delays and rail network closures.
... 2 weeks ago - Geoffrey Miller: How successful was Chris Hipkins’ trip to Papua New Guinea?Chris Hipkins is blazing his way through New Zealand’s foreign policy. The New Zealand Prime Minister’s fast-but-furious visit to Papua New Guinea this week – which saw Hipkins spend just 23 hours in Port Moresby, the PNG capital – was the PM’s fourth such rapid international trip since he took ...2 weeks ago
- Laughing with Donkeys.
It sometimes occurs to me. When I’m thinking what to write about. That I spend an awful lot of time reading about idiotic things that idiots have said.The radio, the news, social media. You look at the content coming out and it makes you remember not to swim at a ...2 weeks ago - Yoga diplomacyThirty-six years ago, almost to the day, after he launched Fiji’s first military coup in 1987, the now-elected Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, yesterday awarded the Prime Minister of India Fiji’s highest honour. That 1987 coup was targeted against a Labour government which contained Indian Ministers and led to fears ...2 weeks ago
- The Song of Saqua: Back to D&D
It has been a while since I last did a write up of my D&D shenanigans. Part of it has been motivation, part of it has been that the more interesting stuff has been in the form of one-shots, rather than long campaigns. I actually DMed a three session ...2 weeks ago - Can Climate Change spark (zombie) Pandemics?This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). The Last of Us tells the story of a fungal zombie apocalypse... triggered by climate change. So could this kind of ...2 weeks ago
- ‘No one cares’: 25-year-old with extensive family cancer history can’t access genetic testing That’s the headline on a Stuff report which alerted the public to the experiences of a woman who was pregnant with her first baby when she found out she was likely to be at higher risk of ...2 weeks ago
- Maybe I'm amazed and maybe I'm not
A short list of some of the fastest things in the world:Cat versus snakeUsain BoltPeople who claim to support climate action, coming up with their objection to any goddam specific action whatsoeverYesterday was a good day — a very good day — in the short history of decarbonising ourselves.We were told ...2 weeks ago - The dirty power of culture wars.A few decades ago I wrote an essay about the impact of state terror on Argentine society. One of my points was that terrorism was used by the military dictatorship known as the “Proceso” not because it was particularly effective … Continue reading ...2 weeks ago
- Megan Woods stays mum about levy-fetching energy bill – but she brings out megaphone for news of m...Buzz from the Beehive Point of Order looked again on the government’s official website for statements from Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods about two energy-related bills that were rushed into law last week. We can’t say she has been silent, because she had lots to say in parliament ...2 weeks ago
- Labour chickens out on the voting age againThe Justice Committee has reported back on the declaration of inconsistency on the voting age. Sadly, the recommendations won't surprise anybody: the Labour-majority committee recommended that Parliament immediately lower the voting age for local government, and that it "investigate" lowering it for general elections (while remembering to fix a bunch ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: The uncertainty problemWhen the government announced its $140 million carbon-reduction subsidy for NZ Steel yesterday, practically everyone's first thought was "why aren't they paying for it themselves?" The National Party based their entire response on this, denouncing the deal as corporate welfare, and arguing that the ETS should incentivise companies to reduce ...2 weeks ago
- BRIAN EASTON: Crises!A conversation between a minister and advisor. Brian Easton writes – Come in, Sit down. Thank you Minister. We have to deal with the current crisis. You know what a crisis is? No, actually I don’t, Minister. I looked it up in a dictionary. None of its ...2 weeks ago
- National Must Learn To Be Kind – Or Remain In Opposition.2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the NZ Steel dealGoodness gracious: The National Party has come out against corporate welfare! Or at least it is dead against the government’s $140 million subsidy deal with New Zealand Steel. The deal will enable the installation of a new electric arc furnace, will reduce the company’s reliance on coal, and will mark ...2 weeks ago
- CMIP6: Not-so-sudden stratospheric cooling
As predicted in 1967 by Manabe and Wetherald, the stratosphere has been cooling. A new paper by Ben Santer and colleagues has appeared in PNAS where they extend their previous work on the detection and attribution of anthropogenic climate change to include the upper stratosphere, using observations from the ...2 weeks ago - $140m well spent at $16.20/tonneAfter the PM donned NZ Steel-branded hi-vis and announced funding towards a new electric arc furnace, National has accused the Government of paying ‘corporate welfare’ to NZ Steel’s ASX-listed Australian owner, BlueScope Steel. But has Luxon just fallen (again) into a trap set by Labour? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 22 May 2023ELECTION Andrea Vance (Stuff): National has got much bigger problems than an unpopular leader Chris Trotter (Interest): National must learn to be kind – or remain in opposition 1New: Q+A: Luxon’s polls ‘abysmal’ but National leadership change unlikely – panel Philip Burdon (Post): The challenges mounting against Luxon and National (pawyalled) ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2023 HighlightsLast week the government released their latest budget. By in large it seems to have been fairly well received and one thing that strikes me about it is there was not one large headline grabbing initiative but lots of little ones that added up. It’s a shame the government can’t ...2 weeks ago
- Finally, Europe embraces BrexitThey say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So Brexiteers who have been banging on about European over-regulation for years will be delighted at the Damascene call from France’s President Macron for a “European regulatory pause” – particularly it seems for green regulation. Sounding like someone else, he ...2 weeks ago
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- Government’s work for survivors of abuse in care continues
The Government continues progress on the survivor-led independent redress system for historic abuse in care, with the announcement of the design and advisory group members today. “The main recommendation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Abuse in Care interim redress report was for a survivor-led independent redress system, and the ...1 week ago - Humanitarian support for the Horn of AfricaAotearoa New Zealand is providing NZ$7.75 million to respond to urgent humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Horn of Africa is experiencing its most severe drought in decades, with five consecutive failed rainy seasons. At least 43.3 million people require lifesaving and ...1 week ago
- Two brand new mental health facilities opened in ChristchurchHealth Minister Ayesha Verrall has opened two new state-of-the-art mental health facilities at the Christchurch Hillmorton Hospital campus, as the Government ramps up its efforts to build a modern fit for purpose mental health system. The buildings, costing $81.8 million, are one of 16 capital projects the Government has funded ...1 week ago
- Government invests more than $24 million in regional projectsThe Government is continuing to invest in our regional economies by announcing another $24 million worth of investment into ten diverse projects, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says. “Our regions are the backbone of our economy and today’s announcement continues to build on the Government’s investment to boost regional economic ...1 week ago
- Budget 23 supports the growth of Māori tourismAn $8 million boost to New Zealand Māori Tourism will help operators insulate themselves for the future. Spread over the next four years, the investment acknowledges the on-going challenges faced by the industry and the significant contribution Māori make to tourism in Aotearoa. It builds on the $15 million invested ...2 weeks ago
- First Bushmasters ready to rollDefence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the first 18 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles for the New Zealand Army, alongside personnel at Trentham Military Camp today. “The arrival of the Bushmaster fleet represents a significant uplift in capability and protection for defence force personnel, and a milestone in ...2 weeks ago
- Humanitarian support for the people of SudanAotearoa New Zealand is providing NZ$3.5 million to help meet urgent humanitarian needs in Sudan, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The severe fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has had devastating impacts for civilians. At least 705 people have been killed and 5,287 injured. ...2 weeks ago
- Clean-up at Hawkes Bay facility to help region deal with cyclone wasteRepairing a Hawke’s Bay organic composting facility devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle is among the latest waste reduction projects getting Government backing, Associate Environment Minister Rachel Brooking announced today. “Helping communities get back on their feet after the devastating weather that hit the northern parts of the country this year is ...2 weeks ago
- 8% pay boosts for GP & community nursesAbout 6,100 more GP, community nurses and kaiāwhina will be eligible for pay rises of 8% on average to reduce pay disparities with nurses in hospitals, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. The top up comes from a $200 million fund established to remove pay disparities between nurses ...2 weeks ago
- Govt turns the sod on new Jobs and Skills Hub for Hawke’s BayNew Jobs and Skills Hub to begin construction in Hawke’s Bay The Hub will support the building of $1.1billion worth of homes in the region and support Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild and recovery. Over 2,200 people have been supported into industry specific employment, apprenticeships and training, by these Hubs across NZ ...2 weeks ago
- Community Housing Aotearoa Conference SpeechTēnā koutou e nga maata waka. Kia koutou te mana whenua tēnā koutou Ngā mate huhua o te waa, haere, haere, haere atu ra. Hoki mai kia tātou te kanohi ora e tau nei, Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. Tēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te ...2 weeks ago
- New mental health tool launched for small business owner-operatorsThe Government has launched a new tool to help small business owner-operators manage and improve their mental wellbeing, Small Business Minister Ginny Andersen announced today. The Brave in Business e-Learning series is another tool the Government has delivered to support small businesses with their mental health and wellbeing. “A pandemic, ...2 weeks ago
- TAB partnership helps secure future of racing industryMinister for Racing Kieran McAnulty has announced the approval of a 25-year partnership between TAB NZ and UK betting company Entain that delivers at least $900 million in guaranteed funding for the racing industry over the next five years. Entain, a UK based group that operates multiple sports betting providers ...2 weeks ago
- Government project delivers more reliable and resilient water source to NorthlandThe Government has delivered the first of three significant water security projects in Northland, boosting regional business and climate resilience, with the opening of Matawii reservoir today, Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan announced. A $68 million Government investment supported the construction of the reservoir, along with two other water storage ...2 weeks ago
- Trade Minister to US to attend Ministerial meetingsTrade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor will travel to Detroit tomorrow to represent New Zealand at the annual APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting from 24 – 29 May. Whilst in Detroit, Damien O’Connor will also host a meeting of Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Ministers ...2 weeks ago
- Murihiku Regeneration energy and innovation wānangaI want to start by thanking Ngāi Tahu and the Murihiku Regeneration Collective for hosting us here today. Back at the Science and Innovation Wananga in 2021, I said that a just transition in New Zealand must ensure Iwi are at the table. This is just as true now as ...2 weeks ago
- New Ambassador to Mongolia announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of diplomat Dr James Waite as Aotearoa New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Mongolia. He is currently the Deputy Head of Mission at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing, a role he will continue to hold. “New Zealand and Mongolia share a warm and ...2 weeks ago
- Government commitment to Māori Education continuesBiggest-ever investment in property with more money for new sites and modernisation Roll-out of learning support coordination in kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium Schooling Boost in funding for iwi and schools to work together on Local Histories content Substantial support for Māori Education has continued in Budget 2023, including ...2 weeks ago
- More students to benefit from next round of Creatives in SchoolsApplications for the next round of Creatives in Schools will open on Friday 16 June 2023, Minister of Education Jan Tinetti and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announced today during a visit at Te Wharekura o Mauao in Tauranga. “The Creatives in Schools programme funds schools and ...2 weeks ago
- Speech to WasteMINZ conference, HamiltonTena koutou katoa and thank you all for being here and welcoming me to your annual conference. I want to acknowledge being here in Tainui’s rohe, and the mana of Kingi Tuheitia. I hate waste. So much so that when we built our home in Dunedin, I banned the use ...2 weeks ago
- Extra boost for Southland’s Just TransitionSouthland’s Just Transition is getting a further boost to help future-proof the region and build its economic resilience, Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods announced today. “This Government is committed to supporting Southland’s just transition and reducing the region’s reliance on the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter at Tiwai Point,” Megan ...2 weeks ago
- PM concludes successful Pacific visit, confirms intention to visit IndiaPrime Minister Chris Hipkins has concluded a series of successful international meetings with Pacific region leaders in Papua New Guinea. Prime Minister Hipkins secured constructive bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and United States Secretary of ...2 weeks ago
- Agreed statement from NZEI, PPTA and the Minister of EducationOn Friday 19th May, Minister Tinetti facilitated a meeting between NZEI and PPTA with the Ministry of Education to discuss options for finding a way forward in the current stalled collective bargaining. The meeting was constructive, and the parties shared a willingness to work towards a solution. The following was ...2 weeks ago
- Five community energy projects kick startEighty-nine households will soon benefit from secure, renewable, and more affordable energy as five community-level energy projects are about to get underway, Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods announced today. Five solar projects – in Whangārei, Tauranga, Palmerston North and Christchurch – are the first to receive funding from the ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand confirms recovery support for Cook IslandsPrime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed New Zealand will provide NZ$15 million in emergency budget support for Cook Islands in its ongoing recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. New Zealand’s support was confirmed during a meeting with the Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown in Papua New Guinea today. “New ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2023 provides significant investment in kapa hakaThe Government’s continued recognition of and support for the important place Kapa Haka has in Aotearoa was evident today at a celebration at Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Willow-Jean Prime said. “Our investment of $34 million over two years ensures that this kaupapa is ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s biggest ever emissions reduction project unveiledThe Government is partnering with New Zealand Steel to deliver New Zealand’s largest emissions reduction project to date, with half of the coal being used at Glenbrook steel to be replaced with electricity to recycle scrap steel. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins made the announcement alongside Energy and Resources Minister Megan ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand Century Farms and Station Awards DinnerKia ora koutou. Thank you for your warm welcome. It’s my pleasure to be here in Lawrence to present tonight’s New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of the awards committee. The committee has put in a lot of ...2 weeks ago
- Government welcome Waitangi Tribunal Wai 2750 report into homelessnessThe Government has welcomed the Stage One Waitangi Tribunal Wai 2750 – Housing and Housing Services Kaupapa Inquiry report into homelessness released today. Minister of Housing Hon Megan Woods and Associate Minister of Housing (Māori) Hon Willie Jackson as Co-Leads for the government, with Associate Minister of Housing (homelessness) Hon ...2 weeks ago
- PM confirms details of Papua New Guinea visitPrime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed his upcoming visit to Papua New Guinea. The Prime Minister travels to Port Moresby on Sunday May 21, and will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown. He has also been invited ...2 weeks ago
- Bill ensures ongoing reporting on tax system fairnessA Bill requiring facts about the fairness and efficiency of New Zealand’s tax system to be reported and published annually has been tabled in Parliament today. Revenue Minister David Parker said the Taxation Principles Reporting Bill would ensure that tax information is reported against a set of fundamental tax principles. ...2 weeks ago
- Tax bill improves fairness at home and abroadNZ joins global effort to ensure multinationals pay a minimum rate of tax Tax on ACC, MSD lump sum payments changed to reduce amounts owing for some KiwiSaver topups for child carers taking paid parental leave Implementing changes to trustee tax and tax relief for flood-hit businesses Several measures ...2 weeks ago
- New approach on law and order deliversSuccessful ‘circuit breaker’ pilot targeting repeat child offenders to be expanded to Hamilton, Christchurch and Auckland City Funding to maintain Police to population ratio achieved after 1800 extra Police officers added Creation of NZ’s first comprehensive digital Firearms Registry Modernising frontline police processes to free up time for officers Budget ...2 weeks ago
- Government increases support to disabled peopleBudget 2023 increases support for disabled people to access disability services and continues our crucial transformation of disability support services. “Budget 2023 will provide $863.6 million to help ease cost pressures on Government disability support services,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said. “This support will ensure we can meet price increases due to ...2 weeks ago
- Budget delivers support for tertiary education and trainingExtending the Apprenticeship Boost initiative Biggest boost to tertiary subsidies in 20 years Additional funds to support forecast enrolments Supporting Te Pūkenga’s IT integration Budget 2023 ensures New Zealand’s tertiary education and training institutions are in the best possible position to prepare Kiwis for the future. Extending the Apprenticeship Boost ...2 weeks ago
- Rural communities to benefit from education and transport funding in Budget 2023Top up funding for emergency repairs and renewals to the transport network resulting from increasingly severe and frequent weather events Up to 1000 new EV chargers in smaller rural communities An additional 175 rural schools to get special funding for property improvements A top up of funding for emergency ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2023 invests in Pacific wellbeing and prosperityBudget 2023 delivers new targeted initiatives so more Pacific communities are supported to succeed in education, jobs, business, language skills, and culture. “The package of initiatives is focused on getting the basics right, with a particular focus on youth, skills and learning, and promoting cultural connections,” Minister for Pacific Peoples Barbara ...2 weeks ago
- Whānau Ora system strengthened in Budget 2023Budget 2023 reflects the critical importance of Whānau Ora. “More and more whānau are using Whānau Ora services in the wake of Cyclone devastation and increases to the cost of living. In the first half of this financial year, 30,000 whānau had already used Whānau Ora services,” Peeni Henare ...2 weeks ago
- Māori Budget continues investment in whānau, whare and whakapapaExtra funding to build and repair more homes Boost for Te Matatini and ensuring Matariki is funded into the future More funding for Whānau Ora to provide more services Increased funding for hauora providers, Iwi-Māori Partnerships Boards, rongoā practitioners, and more prevention funding More support in Māori education for kura, ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2023 delivers 3000 additional public homesAn extra 3,000 public homes by June 2025, on top of 14,050 funded to June 2024 Support for Māori housing – 322 more homes for Māori and 400 relocatable cabins to assist people and whānau displaced by extreme weather events across the North Island through ‘by-Māori, for Māori’ programmes Bolstering ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori announces candidate for general electorate seat of Tukituki
Heather Te-Au Skipworth, the hopeful MP who stood aside in Ikaroa-Rawhiti to allow for Meka Whaitiri, will run in the Tukituki electorate in this year’s election. In a statement, Te-Au Skipworth called the decision to stand in Tukituki a “no brainer” as she was born in Hastings and raised in ...3 days ago - Listen: How big does Chris Bishop want us to be?National’s housing spokesperson Chris Bishop wants councils to zone enough land with enough pipes and roads to house 30 years’ worth of population growth, but not all through densification. In this week’s episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey asks Bishop just how big he wants Aotearoa to be, and ...3 days ago
- National’s housing u-turn promotes urban sprawl – cities and ratepayers will pick up the bill
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland Getty Images By withdrawing its support for the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) it helped introduce in the first place, the National Party has essentially only made a soft policy ...3 days ago - Inside the struggle to get New Zealand vaccinatedThe Rally Your Village campaign to get South Auckland communities well for winter is a success – but organisers say low MMR immunisation rates are still a real worry. I arrive at the Pacific Hub in Ōtara Road and am greeted by the smell of meat on the barbecue, the ...3 days ago
- The Bulletin: What do Russian mercenaries want with the Chatham Islands?A belter of a story here. When Stuff reporter James Halpin noticed the Chatham Islands marked on a map showing a notorious mercenary company’s global interests, he did what any enterprising reporter would do: he asked the Russian oligarch who runs the private army for comment. “We will not share this ...3 days ago
- Construction of NZ’s first Ikea beginsNew Zealand is one step closer to its first Ikea store – but you will have to wait another two years to get your meatball fix. Construction on the 34,000 square metre store started today in Auckland’s Sylvia Park, following a Māori blessing with local iwi and a Fika, a ...3 days ago
- Holograms and AI can bring performers back from the dead – but will the fans keep buying it?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Popular Culture Researcher, Auckland University of Technology A hologram of Buddy Holly projected on stage at Madrid’s Teatro La Estación in 2021. Getty Images Fans can mourn the passing of music legends for years, ...3 days ago
- I need a flu shot and a COVID booster. Can I get them at the same time?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vasso Apostolopoulos, Professor of Immunology and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Partnerships, Victoria University CDC/Unsplash Cases of influenza (the flu) and COVID are set to rise over winter, with many Australians looking to protect themselves from both of these respiratory viruses. ...3 days ago
- People with disability face barriers to sexual and reproductive health care. New recommendations are...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Kendall, Professor, Director, Griffith Inclusive Futures, Griffith University, Griffith University Shutterstock The recently released findings of the senate inquiry into reproductive health care sets the stage for potential transformative change. Its recommendations are aimed at dismantling the barriers that ...3 days ago
- Why does my dog eat grass? And when is it not safe for them?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Shutterstock Have you ever wondered why your dog is eating your beautifully cropped lawn or nibbling at the grass at the dog park? Eating grass is a ...3 days ago
- 30 years of winning love by daylight: why audiences are still obsessed with Sailor MoonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Sailor Moon has been with us for over 30 years, but the cartoon series is popular enough that brands are still producing themed merchandise – everything from high end, crystal-encrusted ...3 days ago
- How a debate over $5 chemist fees descended into a row over ‘gutter politics’The government suggests National want to take women back to the ’50s – or worse. The opposition says it’s the victim of a smear campaign, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...3 days ago
- NZ Post dropped service to quarter of world – and no one knew
NZ Post has, with little or no warning, stopped sending mail to 34 countries; there are another 21 that aren’t sending mail to us. That’s a quarter of all nations. Covid is one cause, war another. But three years after services were first suspended there’s no indication if Kiwis are going to ...3 days ago - NZ Post dropped service to quarter of world – and no one knewNZ Post has, with little or no warning, stopped sending mail to 34 countries; there are another 21 that aren’t sending mail to us. But it's kept pretty quiet about it ...3 days ago
- Jan Tinetti and the privileges committee, explainedWhy is she in trouble, and what could happen if she’s found in contempt? Scorn and entitlement. Or, at least, contempt and privilege. In the strange world where constitutional law and politics intersect, people are bad at naming things. Parliament has “privileges”, and even a whole committee specially devoted to ...3 days ago
- All your questions about legal prescription weed, answeredWhat questions will a green doctor ask you? What should you do if police see your weed? And should you really drink it in a tea? Natalie Lowe is placing her sandwich board on a central Auckland footpath. She’s been outside mere seconds when she’s approached by three burly men ...3 days ago
- Bestselling books at King's Birthday
The first King's Birthday Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list, described by Steve Braunias FICTION 1 The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $35) Next week's Book of the Week review at ReadingRoom is by Philip Matthews (crowned Best Reviewer at last year's ...3 days ago - Why every new garden should be a 'carbon garden'
Aotearoa has vast tracts of suburban and urban terrain. The possibilities for reformulating under-used landscapes into massive carbon-capture terrains are enormous Opinion: Many New Zealanders are engaged in the environmental work that needs to be done to halt the degradation of our planet. However, addressing increasing carbon dioxide emissions and ...3 days ago - What next for NZ's big emitters?
New Zealand's big emitters are under pressure to do more as the country heads towards its zero carbon 2050 target. NZ Steel's the first mover with a big deal with the Government to help it cut its emissions. Who will be next? The $300 million deal between NZ Steel ...3 days ago - Don't turn online safety into a new culture war
Early and vocal opposition to new measures to protect children and vulnerable people from harmful content online does a disservice. ...3 days ago - Beyond firearms: Nicole McKee gets ready to fight in Act's law and order corner
Nicole McKee says there's more to Act's plan than ankle bracelets on youth offenders. ...3 days ago - Raw Politics: A race relations muddle and housing feud
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: National struggles to deal with race relations and Labour and National fall out over housing density - plus the risk of a caucus breakdown for ACT The Raw Politics team takes a look at how National's leader and MPs are dealing with ...3 days ago - Brown's obsessive nano-management is just what Auckland doesn't need
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's proposals won't help the city in the short or long term ...3 days ago - Fishing industry plan slammed as nothing but a subsidy
The transformation plan includes a substantial government investment in new fishing fleet. ...3 days ago - The clash of the wingwomen
The ANZ Premiership grand final will be a showdown of netball’s great wingwomen – Mystics’ Michaela Sokolich-Beatson vs Stars’ Gina Crampton. Suzanne McFadden speaks to both athletes, on a common mission. It’s a gritty battle just too close to call. Stars wing attack Gina Crampton and Mystics wing defence Michaela ...3 days ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 2 June
Loading...(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...3 days ago - Daily crossword, Friday 2 June
...3 days ago - The Friday Poem: ‘Carmine’ by Victoria LewisA new poem by Wellington poet Victoria Lewis. Carmine well – the cherries appeared quietly there on the kitchen bench as if to smile and say i love you, and you dared to forget those gleaming fruit form a prayer, a devotion bloody on the inside, taut on the out ...3 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: the PwC scandal should be ripe for the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s at...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra nitpicker/Shutterstock By coincidence, the furore around the consultancy firm PwC is raging just as the National Anti-Corruption Commission is gearing up for its start of business on July 1. The PwC scandal, ...3 days ago
- National MP apologises for saying Commerce Commission 'need a bullet'
National MP David Bennett has apologised for a comment made in Parliament where he said the "evil" Commerce Commission "need a bullet." ...3 days ago - ‘Dismissed’: legal experts explain the judgment in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation caseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ricardo Villegas, Senior Lecturer of Law, University of South Australia Today, Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko handed down his long-awaited judgment in the defamation case that Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living former SAS soldier, brought against the Age, the Sydney Morning ...3 days ago
- 'He's not worried about the pledge I made' – Auckland councillors hit back at m...Wayne Brown has named and attempted to shame councillors who oppose the sale of the council's airport shares, but some are returning fire, saying he does not have the votes to pass his plan. ...3 days ago
- No fast answers for cyclone-affected properties
Some certainty has arrived for those impacted by severe weather events earlier this year but the bulk of the detail for a buyout scheme affecting at least 700 homes is a work in progress, writes political editor Jo Moir. Analysis: Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson has been determined since February ...3 days ago - A win for the press, a big loss for Ben Roberts-Smith: what does this judgment tell us about defamat...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Rolph, Professor of Law, University of Sydney At the heart of the spectacular defamation trial brought by decorated Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith were two key questions. Had the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times damaged his reputation ...3 days ago
- Want long-term contraception? There are more effective options than the pill. But they can be hard t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Bateson, Professor of Practice, University of Sydney Shutterstock Australians’ access to a range of contraceptive options depends on where they live and how wealthy they are. A recent parliamentary inquiry recommends ways to end this “postcode lottery” for people ...3 days ago
- National brands Labour's Handmaid's Tale tweet as 'appalling'Labour's campaign chair is standing by a social media post which likens National's prescriptions policy to dystopian TV show and novel The Handmaid's Tale. ...3 days ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Liberal MP Bridget Archer urges other moderates to speak up as she p...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition’s decision to oppose the Voice to Parliament has put its moderate members in a jam. Some moderates are active yes advocates, while others are trying to keep low profiles. Bridget Archer, the outspoken ...3 days ago
- Taxing Urea Better Than He Waka Eke Noa But Stronger Action Needed
Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling out the agriculture industry’s "undue influence" over the Government’s agricultural emissions policy, saying that " predatory denial and delay " have stalled the development of plans to price and reduce ...3 days ago - South Auckland Fire Shows Risk Of Flock In Incinerator Proposal“The huge fire in South Auckland illustrates the serious human health risks of incinerating flock, the residual material left over from the scrap metal process. It is one reason we will be opposing the building of a waste incinerator in Te Awamutu ...3 days ago
- Consultation opens on proposals to make online spaces saferThe Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) wants to make social media subject to regulation similar to that of traditional media platforms. ...3 days ago
- The real cost of NZ’s two-tier health systemIt’s reassuring to think that by paying for private treatment you’re ‘freeing up a bed’ in a public hospital. But the reality is private beds don’t free up public beds, they replace them. Ethicists argue that healthcare is special. Unlike other consumer goods, its availability and accessibility should be based ...3 days ago
- Mayor’s office says media ‘forced their way’ into budget speechThe office of mayor Wayne Brown has hit back at criticism journalists were “cherry-picked” for this morning’s budget announcement. A number of media outlets, including The Spinoff, Stuff, TVNZ and Newshub, were not invited to hear Brown’s budget address. Some, however, made it into the room after Brown had started ...3 days ago
- The antithesis of healing: the AFL turns away from truth-telling again, ending Hawthorn investigatio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Klugman, Research Fellow, Institute for Health & Sport, member of the Community, Identity and Displacement Research Network, and Co-convenor of the Olympic Research Network, Victoria University Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains mention of the Stolen ...3 days ago
- How raising tobacco taxes can save lives and cut poverty across the Asia-PacificSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sudyumna Dahal, PhD Student, Australian National University Shutterstock The human costs of tobacco and smoking worldwide are huge. 1.3 billion people use tobacco, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. More than 8 million people die prematurely because of tobacco, at ...3 days ago
- Is This The Big Step Towards Making The Internet A Safer Place?Today, the Government released a discussion document: Safer Online Services and Media Platforms. It aims to reduce people’s exposure to harmful content, and create a system that is easier to navigate if people need to report harmful content. The ...3 days ago
- ‘Hate speech laws 2.0’: Act wants to ‘kill’ proposed online safety rulesThe Act Party’s compared a proposal to improve online safety to the government’s doomed hate speech laws, and pledged to “kill” it off as well. Consultation is set to begin on a Department of Internal Affairs proposal to change how online content is regulated in New Zealand. But David Seymour ...3 days ago
- Report Highlights Lessons For Public Organisations Supporting Improved Outcomes For MāoriA new report from the Auditor-General on four initiatives to improve outcomes for Māori has highlighted the importance of strong relationships between public organisations and Māori, and of taking the time needed to build these relationships. However, ...3 days ago
- BSA Welcomes Consultation On Safer Online Services And Media PlatformsThe Broadcasting Standards Authority welcomes today’s launch of the public discussion document, Safer Online Services and Media Platforms, on a proposed new content regulation framework. The Authority has long been an advocate for a more flexible regulatory ...3 days ago
- A new virtual museum reveals 600 million years of Australian fossils in unprecedented 3D detailSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alice Clement, Research Associate in the College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University Virtual Australian Museum of Palaeontology, Author provided Palaeontology is the study of evolution and prehistoric life, usually preserved as fossils in rocks. It combines aspects of geology ...3 days ago
- Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono Response To Proposals In Safer Online Services And Media Platf...Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono welcomes the release of the Safer Online Services and Media Platforms report from Te Tari Taiwhenua, dealing with content regulation for media and social media. “We welcome the move to an independent regulator that ...3 days ago
- TLDR: The proposed reform for safer media and online platformsThe drearily titled “Safer Online Services and Media Platforms” document has just been released. Here’s a TLDR summary from The Spinoff’s Shanti Mathias: The suggested changes are pretty different from what we have right now. All digital industries that publish content, including overseas companies like Meta and Google and local ...3 days ago
- TLDR: The proposed reform for safer media and online platformsThe drearily titled “Safer Online Services and Media Platforms” document has just been released. Here’s a TLDR summary from The Spinoff’s Shanti Mathias: The suggested changes are pretty different from what we have right now. All digital industries that publish content, including overseas companies like Meta and Google and local ...3 days ago
- How a new proposal could change online safety in New ZealandThe Safer Online Services and Media Platforms document has just been released by the government’s Content Regulatory Review. It does more than capitalise nouns – here’s what you need to know about what’s inside. What is this document with the world’s most boring name? It’s a proposal from the Department ...3 days ago
- How a new proposal could change online safety in New ZealandThe Safer Online Services and Media Platforms document has just been released by the government’s Content Regulatory Review. It does more than capitalise nouns – here’s what you need to know about what’s inside. What is this document with the world’s most boring name? It’s a proposal from the Department ...3 days ago
- Review: Hamilton (the musical) comes to AucklandThe 2010s musical theatre phenomenon has finally made it to Spark Arena. Does does it live up to the years of expectation? This Angelica Schuyler is transcendent Full disclosure: I am overly familiar with Hamiton without being a full-on Hamilstan. I’ve listened to the cast recording countless times, watched it ...3 days ago
- Review: Hamilton (the musical) comes to AucklandThe 2010s musical theatre phenomenon has finally made it to Spark Arena. Does does it live up to the years of expectation? This Angelica Schuyler is transcendent Full disclosure: I am overly familiar with Hamiton without being a full-on Hamilstan. I’ve listened to the cast recording countless times, watched it ...3 days ago
- Brown calls for councillor loyalty – and media to stay away
Members of the press being turned away from the door distracted from the announcement of asset sales and inflation-pegged rates in Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s final budget proposal Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown didn’t mince words at a fiery press conference this morning where he confirmed he’d be calling for a ...3 days ago - NZ First Secured 1800 New Frontline Police – Not LabourDuring New Zealand First coalition negotiations our policy was to train and resource 1800 new frontline police. We secured this coalition policy win to ensure our streets had a police force that could tackle crime - after years of neglect. Remember those ...3 days ago
- No, AI probably won’t kill us all – and there’s more to this fear campaign than meets the eyeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Timothy Bennett, PhD Student, School of Computing, Australian National University Better Images of AI / Alan Warburton, CC BY-SA Doomsaying is an old occupation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex subject. It’s easy to fear what you don’t understand. ...3 days ago
- Education Minister Jan Tinetti to face questioning over contempt accusationEducation Minister Jan Tinetti will be questioned by senior MPs next week over whether she deliberately misled Parliament. ...3 days ago
- Education Minister Jan Tinetti to face questioning over contempt accusationEducation Minister Jan Tinetti will be questioned by senior MPs next week over whether she deliberately misled Parliament. ...3 days ago
- Cyclone recovery: About 700 properties likely too risky to rebuild – MinistersThe government and councils will offer a buyout option to property owners whose land is too risky to rebuild on, and co-fund protection works for those who need it. ...3 days ago
- Buyout scheme announced for cyclone-hit homeownersThe government will work with councils to offer a “voluntary buyout” for owners of homes written off by Cyclone Gabrielle and other recent severe weather. About 700 category three properties – those where it’s deemed the risk of future severe weather cannot be sufficiently mitigated – are expected to be ...3 days ago
- Brown’s Budget Proposal Holds Public Services HostageAuckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed budget presents a dangerous false choice between cutting public services and privatising Auckland’s assets. The proposal to councillors offers to reinstate funding for public services and increase the pay ...3 days ago
- Leaked DIA Consultation Document Reveals Major Proposal For Censorship Of Online SpeechA leaked consultation document from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) shows plans to draft and introduce legislation that would entirely restructure the New Zealand censorship regime, bringing online speech, such as material on social media ...3 days ago
- And so we howl again, into the void: Where is Wayne Brown?A crucial day for the future of the city, and the mayor’s message to hundreds of thousands of Aucklanders: I don’t want to talk to you. Wayne Brown was right. The media is awash with drongos. I personally have behaved drongoistically – to borrow a Winstonism – at least twice ...3 days ago
- Te Whatu Ora Listens To PSA And Enters Further Consultation On Big Health RestructureThe PSA is pleased Te Whatu Ora has listened to its concerns and is seeking further consultation with unions on a major restructuring as it seeks to remove duplication and centralise services. "This will be a huge relief for workers," said ...4 days ago
- Did ‘wokeness’ cancel Police Ten 7? New research suggests racial stereotyping was the real culpr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When TVNZ cancelled reality TV show Police Ten 7 earlier this year, it certainly rattled some law-and-order cages. The show’s former host Graham Bell, who described suspects variously ...4 days ago
- Smaller power providers on top in new Consumer surveyA new survey from Consumer NZ has once again found customer’s prefer the country’s smaller power providers. For the third year in a row, Powershop has come out on top with a satisfaction score of 74% – the sixth time overall it has achieved the accolade. Frank Energy received a ...4 days ago
- What is deep sea mining, and how could it alter a vital ecosystem?Applications to mine in the ocean could begin in July. Why are scientists and activists so concerned? Far from the light of the surface, animals are pale; some glow in the dense darkness, have translucent shells; grow very big or very small. Even the most comprehensive list of deep ocean ...4 days ago
- Use Of Police Dog In Respect Of Two Men In WhanganuiThe Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a Police dog handler was not justified in using his dog to bite a man who was resisting arrest but was justified in using the dog against a second man who threatened Police. At a Whanganui suburb ...4 days ago
- How Ana Scotney gets it doneThe interdisciplinary artist from Te Whanganui-a-Tara shares all the mahi that happens behind the scenes. Ana (Ngāti Tāwhaki, Ngāi Tūhoe) has won multiple awards for her theatre work, and has been the recipient of the Te Tumu Toi New Zealand Arts Foundation Springboard Award, where she was mentored by ...4 days ago
- Christchurch City Councillors Concerned About Tarras AirportSustainable Tarras (ST) supports today’s commitment from the new Christchurch City Holdings (CCHL) board seeking increased transparency and community engagement on the Tarras airport, as debated with Christchurch City Council (CCC) at today’s ...4 days ago
- Hospice Faces Escalating Funding Crisis...4 days ago
- “Animals Deserve Respect” – National Animal Rights Day This SundayThis Sunday, 4 June, Wellington and Christchurch will join over 300 cities worldwide in observing the National Animal Rights Day. The events remember the billions of animals who lose their lives each year due to human actions, and acknowledge the ...4 days ago
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